Float Fishing Potomac River

Ahh, summertime is here and float fishing the Potomac River is a summer treat that will help you get your smallmouth fishing fix and create memories of a lifetime!

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river (main stem andNorth Branch) is approximately 405 miles (652 km) long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles. In terms of area, this makes the Potomac River the fourth largest river along the Atlantic coast of the United States and the 21st largest in the United States. Over 5 million people live within the Potomac watershed. Source

The Potomac River is a huge river that has many areas to fish for smallmouth bass. This article talks about a float trip near the Sharpsburg, MD and is typical of many waterways in the the US where you can find smallmouth bass.

Float fishing Potomac River

I got that familiar call and we set a date for the outing in late June. We decided to fish between Taylor’s Landing and Snyder’s Landing, a short section of the Potomac located in Washington County, near Sharpsburg. This two-mile section is very rocky with long, sharp ridges that offer plenty of cover for smallmouth bass.

The Horseback Rapids are located at the river bend just above the take out at Synder’s Landing. This area is unique in that the rock ridges run parallel to the shoreline, some exposed but most are submerged. If you wade fish this area, be sure to protect your feet by wearing close-toed footwear. Also, be careful wading as the currents on either side of the rock ridges are deep and swift.On our float trip, we all had a great day and we all caught fish. It was a very hot day, but it always seems to be cooler on the river. We got an early start and finished the float around noon. We saw several deer, herons, ducks, geese and a young red fox hunting along the shoreline.I fished with a small black popper on my fly rod and landed seven or eight decent smallies, including one about 16 inches. Nathaniel caught several fish on an old standard crankbait for smallies — the Rebel Teeny Wee Craw.At the end of the trip, I asked Eliza what she liked about the river floats. “I like the fishing, but the best part is the quality time we have together while on the river,” she said.Fishing will be a pastime they can share for many years to come. Source

Here is a link to the Potomac River Smallmouth Club and their monthly newsletter to give you a resource for more Potomac info: click here
The Potomac River is quite a large fishery. In the future, we’ll look at the North Branch. If you have experienced float fishing on the Potomac River before, please leave your comments here or put up some pictures on our Facebook page here.